My experience is slightly different to the author of that book. That does not mean either of us wrong, just that we have differing impressions.

I agree that passive-agressive stares are less frequent than ten years ago.
But to say "now nobody cares' is a glib exagerration.

Seriously, the guy covers Korea for a living for the Economist. He speaks colloquial Korean. I think his opinion has some worth....

Which is exactly why he isn't representative of most ex-pats, and therefore doesn't 'know more' or less than anyone else, just different.

He's probably able to ingratiate himself better with locals than most foreigners, so of course his view will tend to be rose-colored.

Yeah so because he knows Korean his viewed is warped...got it,

Good lord this is pure comedy.

How are YOU any more "representative" of "most expats" Dave?

Oh and by the way, his book is NOT about expats it is about KOREA itself.....so his perspective seems to be quite interesting there. The people he interviewed and his research seems to be pretty solid...but wait where is your book?

My experience is slightly different to the author of that book. That does not mean either of us wrong, just that we have differing impressions.

I agree that passive-agressive stares are less frequent than ten years ago.
But to say "now nobody cares' is a glib exagerration.

Seriously, the guy covers Korea for a living for the Economist. He speaks colloquial Korean. I think his opinion has some worth....

Which is exactly why he isn't representative of most ex-pats, and therefore doesn't 'know more' or less than anyone else, just different.

He's probably able to ingratiate himself better with locals than most foreigners, so of course his view will tend to be rose-colored.

Yeah so because he knows Korean his viewed is warped...got it,

Good lord this is pure comedy.

How are YOU any more "representative" of "most expats" Dave?

Oh and by the way, his book is NOT about expats it is about KOREA itself.....so his perspective seems to be quite interesting there. The people he interviewed and his research seems to be pretty solid...but wait where is your book?

I don't see where anyone said that his view is warped; just written from his own perspective which may not be absolutely correct.

No, what is timeless comedy is your regular like clockwork belittling attempts at anyone who wants to bring up a differing opinion to your own or someone you agree with strongly. Your comments read like typical Korean top down management policy. This is what it is and there can be no dissenting; just follow me cause I'm the boss who knows best.

I intend to read the book as I like to learn about Korea and I still hold out hope for this "Impossible Country". That does not refrain me from voicing negative comments based on my cultural observations and daily experiences. Then again, I am just another "expat".

Daniel Tudor has tried to paint Korea with a positive outlook. He may be right with some opinions but he may be wrong on others. It's called perspective for a reason. He just happened to write a book of his.

a lot of people generate more staring or see more out there then there probably is when they glare about looking out for people who might stare. Give it a try nautilus, check out other foreigners out and about and I bet it will not take long before you spot one of those angry-challenge-in-the-eyes fellow foreigner who has his head ona swivel looking out for all possible offensive staring.

Then, look at how many stares he or she provokes by doing this...it is hilarious.

You're an attention-seeking troll of course but lets indulge your observation for a moment.

If true that many foreigners in Korea are paranoid and on the offense regarding staring, what do you think might possibly have caused this?

Personally i don't care too much about the stares unless a) I'm already in a really bad mood or b) They bother someone that I am with

There is no writer who would represent the negativity in Korea. They would lose credibility, they would not be published. Besides, nobody really wants to read negative things, even if they are true. Successful books have a feelgood factor. Negtivity does not sell.

That does not mean that many foreigners living in Korea- particularly white males- are not subjected to a strong undercurrent of hostility. The author said "Nowadays nobody cares". That is an exagerration. Many days I get passive agressive stares from the moment I leave my front door. Usually I simply ignore them but you cannot blame foreigners for losing it from time to time.

I don't mind the curious or friendly looks, I don't mind glances. But when you have ajosshis boring into the back of your head for minutes at a time, and who do not look away, then that is interpreted as aggressive in any culture I'm afraid. They're purposely trying to intimidate.

Korea has, famously, been a xenophobic inward-looking country for centuries. The hermit kingdom. You have only to read accounts from 300, 400 years ago if you don't believe me.

I don't see where anyone said that his view is warped; just written from his own perspective which may not be absolutely correct.

.

'
Arguable of course but if he isn't representative of most expats it could be claimed that his view is warped as he is clearly different from the norm.

That aside when I see somebody making remarks like "he isn't representative of most ex-pats" I tend to question the basis for this claim because quite obviously no single person is friends with/knows most ex=pats in Korea anyway. That would be quite a feat considering there is well over a million or so.

I don't see where anyone said that his view is warped; just written from his own perspective which may not be absolutely correct.

.

'
Arguable of course but if he isn't representative of most expats it could be claimed that his view is warped as he is clearly different from the norm.

That aside when I see somebody making remarks like "he isn't representative of most ex-pats" I tend to question the basis for this claim because quite obviously no single person is friends with/knows most ex=pats in Korea anyway. That would be quite a feat considering there is well over a million or so.

I agree with you there about not being "representative of most ex-pats" because there is no-one out there who truly is. I think his views could be representative of some expats because what views are the "norm" here?

I don't see where anyone said that his view is warped; just written from his own perspective which may not be absolutely correct.†

No, what is timeless comedy is your regular like clockwork belittling attempts at anyone who wants to bring up a differing opinion to your own or someone you agree with strongly. Your comments read like typical Korean top down management policy. This is what it is and there can be no dissenting; just follow me cause I'm the boss who knows best.

I intend to read the book as I like to learn about Korea and I still hold out hope for this "Impossible Country". That does not refrain me from voicing negative comments based on my cultural observations and daily experiences. Then again, I am just another "expat".

Daniel Tudor has tried to paint Korea with a positive outlook. He may be right with some opinions but he may be wrong on others. It's called perspective for a reason. He just happened to write a book of his.

Daniel: The austronaut Yi So-yeon. I didnít know what I was going to ask her, I just wanted to talk to her and see what came out of it. She came out with all this stuff about womenís place in society, how hard it is, how you have to achieve so much and not be able to sit back and relax. Itís full of all these ideas about that Ė I got 1000% more than I expected from her. The way she thinks about Korea is similar to how I think about it.

I am looking forward to reading a book about KOREA's recent history, its evolution, its changing society and to hear the take on this from Korean's themselves. This book is not about expats, nor about their perspective as expats in Korea, except perhaps in passing (unless I am mistaking what I read so far).

As for staring that side issue was not part of this until a poster in here fished out a one-liner the author said somewhere about it.

The debate on staring will never end because it is so dependent on each person's perspective. Some see staring everywhere, consider it to be aggressive or mean spirited while others do not see much of it or see it as curiosity by locals...the reality probably stands in the middle of these perceptions somewhere. Has staring diminished in Korea over the years? That seems likely. How prevalent was it say 10 year ago? Hard to say or measure.